Welcome to AIB Estate Planning

A family member can witness your Will, but we always arrange two independent witnesses instead. Your signature must be witnessed by two people who are over 18, have the mental capacity to understand what they are witnessing and are able to see you sign, so a blind person cannot act as a witness. A beneficiary, or the spouse or civil partner of a beneficiary, is not prevented from witnessing, but if they do, they lose their gift under the Will even though the Will itself remains valid. Using witnesses with no interest in your estate avoids that outcome entirely.

You can name as many Executors in your Will as you wish, but no more than four of them can take the grant of probate at any one time. We generally recommend appointing at least two Executors to ensure continuity if one is unable or unwilling to serve. Having only one Executor creates risk if they predecease you or become incapacitated. Naming a substitute Executor is a sensible precaution, and we talk you through who to choose.

Your Will is a very important document both for you and your family. As such, it should be kept safely and securely and your Executors should be kept informed of its location at all times. At AIB, we offer safe and secure storage at a very competitive price. We will issue you with a Storage Certificate containing a unique number to enable your Executors to retrieve the document simply and quickly.

The simple answer is yes and there are many ways of making those changes, depending on the nature of the change you wish to make. Major changes may require a complete rewrite of your existing Will while more minor changes can be dealt with by preparing a Codicil or Memorandum of Wishes. Remember a Will is a Legal document, and so is a Codicil.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that appoints trusted individuals (your 'attorneys') to make decisions on your behalf if you become mentally or physically incapable. Without an LPA, your family may face costly, time-consuming Court of Protection proceedings to gain authority over your affairs. There are two types: Property & Financial Affairs LPAs (for financial decisions) and Health & Welfare LPAs (for medical and care decisions). Having both types provides comprehensive protection for all aspects of your life.

A Property & Financial Affairs LPA can become effective as soon as it's registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, allowing your attorneys to act with your permission even while you have capacity. A Health & Welfare LPA only becomes effective when you lack mental capacity to make specific decisions. You can include restrictions or conditions in either type to specify when and how attorneys can act. Having registered LPAs in place is increasingly important as organisations become stricter about accepting third-party management of affairs. Acting without proper authorisation can now be treated as a criminal offence.

Yes. We work with a local solicitor and are able to cover any and all of your requirements, so whatever your circumstances, your requirements are covered. If you are in any doubt about whether we can help, call us and ask, or use the contact form on our home page.

It depends on the estate and on how the application is made. Average waits for a grant of probate have been reported at around 4.3 weeks for online applications and roughly 16 weeks for paper ones, and the wider job of valuing the estate, settling tax and distributing what is left usually takes longer than the grant itself. If an application is still unresolved after 12 weeks, HMCTS operates a formal escalation process, and we use it on your behalf when it is needed. We keep you updated so you never have to chase anyone yourself.

Our Bereavement and Probate Package covers guidance on the paperwork that follows registering the death, valuing the estate, preparing and submitting the grant of probate application, the HMRC and inheritance tax forms, dealing with beneficiaries and keeping relatives updated on your behalf, and distributing the estate. The probate application fee rose to £526 from 13 July 2026 for estates valued over £5,000, while estates of £5,000 or under remain exempt, and we tell you which fees apply before anything is submitted.

No, but the arrangement does change. Trustees hold the legal title and must act in the beneficiaries' interests, so choosing the right people matters. You set the rules in the trust deed and you can leave a letter of wishes explaining how you would like decisions handled. Many clients act as trustees of their own Family Asset Protection Trust alongside someone they trust, which keeps day to day control familiar.